It is known to blend flexible coil polymer substrates with liquid crystal polymers. A recent review article relating to this area of technology is by D. Dutta et al., "Polymer Blends Containing Liquid Crystals: A Review", Polymer Engineering and Science, Mid-September 1990, Vol. 30, No. 17, pp. 1005-1018. An example of a recent patent relating to polymer blends which contain polymers having liquid crystalline properties is U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,698 to A. Isayev. A more recent example of work in this area is U.S. Ser. No. 726,600, filed Jul. 8, 1991 which describes the use, as an additive to a flexible coil polymer substrate, of thermotropic liquid crystal segmented block copolymers containing mesogenic and flexible coil polymer blocks. In all of these cases, the liquid crystal additive is a polymer having a sufficient number of repeat units to produce a polymer, as contrasted from a low molecular weight oligomer, (e.g., a molecular weight over about 6,000).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,850 to D. C. Prevorsek et al. teaches the use of certain nematic oligomers as additives to such thermoplastic polymers as the polyesters, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyethers, and poly(acetals). The type of oligomer taught for use by Prevorsek et al. is one which contains "R" groups in its main chain which are wholly selected from cyclic groups, such as cyclohexylene, phenylene, naphthalene, biphenylene, and anthracene. These oligomers are taught as having a Tg which is at least 10.degree. C., preferably 25.degree. C. higher, than the substrate polymer. The mixture of substrate polymer and oligomer appears to result in a two phase system in which the oligomer is dispersed throughout the substrate.